Gatsby gets the green light at Opera House

GATSBY at the Green Light, a new cabaret variety show inspired by F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic text, is set to open its doors at the Studio, Sydney Opera House this summer. A century after first being introduced to Jay Gatsby, this theatrical experience invites Sydneysiders into one of his indulgent parties for an evening of escapist fantasy.

Pulsating music will draw audiences into the club, where an ensemble cast of world-class local and international talent whirl through the venue and across a glittering bar stage. Live vocals will accompany a number of the acts including aerial, burlesque, dance and spectacular circus.

Audiences can either take their seats and watch Gatsby’s fantasy play out in front of them, or get involved with the club’s characters by reserving a cabaret table complete with a 1920s inspired canapé and cocktail package. 

Reminiscent of speakeasies in the prohibition era, The Green Light will offer a bespoke range of beverages inspired by the era, including the Green Light Gimlet, the Blind Tiger Martini, and the Reggio Manhattan.

“We’ve taken elements entrenched in the 1920s – the vaudeville, the fashion, the hospitality – and remixed them with a bold 2020s beat, with the aim of creating an evening that feels both contemporary and captivating,” says director Craig Ilott (Smoke & Mirrors, La Clique Royale, Betty Blokk-Buster Reimagined, Amadeus, and L’Hôtel).

Sydney Opera House Head of Contemporary Performance Ebony Bott is thrilled to be premiering the new production.

“There is a true timelessness to The Great Gatsby, rich with ideas that lend themselves to theatricality so perfectly. GATSBY at The Green Light has been created specifically to delight our audiences who love a summer variety spectacular, capturing all the indulgence and imagination of the era,” Bott said.

December 16 – February 25, 2024, Sydney Opera House, sydneyoperahouse.com/cabaret/gatsby

Gatsby opera house
Rehearsals for GATSBY at The Green Light are now in full swing. Picture: Tom Oldham
Related
MJ the Musical, Sydney Lyric Theatre, Michael Jackson musical, February 2025, Michael Jackson Dangerous World Tour

‘MJ: the Musical’ is startin’ somethin’ in Sydney

It’s happening. MJ: the Musical, based on the undisputed—and controversial—King of Pop, is coming to Australia. February 2025 will see the Australian premiere of MJ: the Musical at the Sydney Lyric Theatre. But if you’re thinking this is just another jukebox ... Read more
Wuthering Heights the musical comes to Sydney in 2025

‘Wuthering Heights’ the musical arrives at Roslyn Packer Theatre to help kick off a big year of theatre in 2025

Emma Rice’s celebrated Wuthering Heights is arriving in Sydney for a limited run from January 2025.  The highly acclaimed musical, adapting Emily Brontë’s classic gothic novel about love, revenge and a yearning for redemption, will be shaped for the stage ... Read more
Comedy Dating Show at The Comedy Club

Find love and laughs with this hilarious live comedy dating show

Ever felt like your love life is a joke without a punchline? At this live Sydney singles comedy show, unlucky-in-love punters hit the stage for blind dates adjudicated by comedian matchmakers.  Since we’ve all but completely handed the practice of ... Read more
Maurice Terzini to open a new cabaret bar on Bayswater Road

Bayswater Road set for massive shake-up as Kings Cross springs to life

Andrew Beecher and Maurice Terzini are two of Sydney’s most ambitious restaurateurs, having spent years elevating Sydney with world-class restaurants and bars.  The two haven’t teamed up, but separately both are betting big on the next phase of Sydney’s nightlife. ... Read more